The more you learn about Disney World, the more you learn about all of the things to do that have nothing to do with the 4 main theme parks.

If you are looking for water filled excitement and the resort pool isn’t enough to quench your appetite, then maybe you should consider spending a day at Typhoon Lagoon, one of two Water Parks currently at Walt Disney World.

Like all things touched by Disney, Typhoon Lagoon is not your everyday water park, but rather a well themed, 56 acre destination that has attractions that appeal to the entire family.

Here are some of the Typhoon lagoon’s attractions that my family enjoyed the most:

Crush & Gusher

One word: Unbelievable!

I had never experienced an attraction like this before. It is described as a roller coaster-like raft ride and that is exactly what the experience feels like. It made the day worth it, just for the opportunity to raft through this exhilarating 400 foot combination of hairpin turns, drops, and even climbs. There are three different waterslides to choose from with each being slightly different.

Each is powered by a jet nozzle that sprays 1,350 gallons of water per minute. That is enough to fill a normal sized pool in about a minute or powerful enough to shoot water of Hollywood Studios Tower of Terror.

Water Slides

Typhoon Lagoon has several of the traditional thrill seeker waterslides as well. The tallest and fastest is known as Humunga Kowabunga. These 3 slides are 214 ft long enclosed speed slides that drop 5 stories in a matter of seconds.

For a slightly tamer waterslide, you can try the 3 Storm Slides that twist and turn while descending 3 stories through caves, waterfalls, and geysers. Although tamer than Humunga Kowabunga you can still reach speeds of 20 mph along these 300 foot long slides.

Shark Reef

Another unique feature of Typhoon Lagoon is the Shark Reef Snorkeling area. As part of the price of park admission you can get snorkeling gear for free and explore this saltwater area that is the only park in Florida where you can swim with sharks and schools of tropical fish. The leopard and bonnethead sharks that you will encounter are among the most docile of all sharks.

Wave Pool

This isn’t just your average everyday wave pool, this is one of the largest in the world. It generates 6 foot high waves every 90 seconds in a pool that is twice the size of a football field and hold 2.7 million gallons of water.

Lazy River

Again, never satisfied with run of the mill the Castaway Creek is a 2100 foot long circular river that takes you through Rain Forests, grottoes, and caves. It takes around 30 minutes to make a complete loop.

Snacks

Don’t forget to partake in a giant sundae served in a sand bucket, like we did, to cap your day off. It was big enough for the whole family to share and the kids still talk about it.

Summary

If you are looking for an exciting Disney World activity that is Beyond The Parks then Typhoon Lagoon should definitely be near the top of your lists to check out. Forget any preconceived notions you may have about water parks based on visiting one where you live. Disney has done a great job re-inventing the concept in true Disney Imagineering fashion. You won’t be disappointed.